Since we last checked out MCECustomizer 1.1 Beta in our MCE 2005 Plug-In Roundup a lot has changed. MCE Customizer 2.1 Beta now includes 29 customization options for Windows Media Center Edition including display type optimization, Caller ID and remote control management. Since Beta 2.0, MCE Customizer allows you to hide or show Start Menu items, enter file names for recordings and disable refresh rate changes. Think of MCE Customizer as TweakUI for Media Center Edition. MORE »

iAutomate’s HomeSeer RFID Starter Kit allows you to monitor anything in your home that’s marked with an RFID tag for only $479.95 (via Engadget). HomeSeer software allows you to “monitor and control your home from the internet, your home network, your PDA, telephone or voice” and supports both X-10 and Z-Wave devices which means you can integrate RFID tracking with hundreds of home automation products already available. MORE »

The Muro MR-200 takes video playback smaller than ever before (via Gizmodo). How small? 60 x 38 x 17 mm, the size of a Zippo lighter. It isn’t just the size that makes the MR-200 special – The 0.96″ display is a 65K color OLED which means no need for a backlight and extremely low power consumption. The MR-200 supports the usual MP3, WMA, and OGG audio formats but its the MPEG4 video playback we want to know more about. Muro hasn’t published specs on what flavors of MPEG4 are supported by the MR-200 but the firmware is upgradeable so additional codecs can be added down the line. MORE »

For those who spent the weekend downloading DRM-free music from the iTunes website with PyMusique – the party’s over. As reported at CNET News this morning, PyMusique, though able to preview iTunes songs, was no longer able to purchase them. Apple was able to block PyMusique by allowing access only to users of iTunes 4.7 which prevents programs from bypassing DRM. MORE »

The ZyXEL P-2302RL (P-2302R – w/o landline feature) VoIP Station Gateway is ideal for those requiring a VoIP solution for more than one phone line (via GigaOm). The P-2302RL includes two built-in standard FXS phone handset jacks which can be either individually assigned to numbers provided by your service provider or to a common number. Just plug the P2302-RL into your cable/DSL modem, configure your SIP settings through the web interface, and start dialing. MORE »

Inventel announces a new DECT Cordless VoIP Gateway which combines a cordless VOIP handset with an ADSL home gateway (via Tech Digest). This offering supports up to 5 DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) VOIP handsets in addition to 802.11g networking, Bluetooth 1.2, TV over DSL, and UMA. For those unfamiliar, UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) allows users to access GSM/GPRS mobile services from their fixed broadband network — comes in handy when a wireless signal is inadequate. MORE »

Looking for a fully integrated solution for Windows Media Player to get iTunes-style LAN-sharing? Via Jake Ludington’s MediaBlab, On2Share allows you to share your Windows Media Player playlists across your LAN. Not only does On2Share work with other copies of WMP it finds on the network, it also supports any connected UPnP-enabled device. MORE »

Forget about remotes that just control A/V devices – the ABIT RM-11 can also control your motherboard. Hexus reports the RM-11 includes support for ABIT’s µGuru processor which allows for hardware monitoring, overclocking, BIOS flashing and audio tweaking ‘on the fly’ without rebooting your PC. The µGuru chipset is included on almost all recent ABIT mainboards but this is the first device we’ve seen that allows for controlling it remotely. What’s the practical purpose of this feature? If there’s playback stutter, for instance, users can bump up the clock speed without even getting out of their EZ-Boy. MORE »

Logitech has added another model to their popular (and pricey) Universal Remote line, the Harmony 880. The 880 stands out from its predecessors because of the inclusion of a programmable color LCD that can display up to 8 devices or commands simultaneously. Existing Harmony features such as displaying TV listings on the remote are still included, as is a massive library of supported devices. MORE »

Do you work in Middleton, New Jersey? If so you could be one of the first people in North America to see WiMAX in action. AT&T has announced WiMAX testing will begin in Middletown this May at distances of two to five miles with transfer rates as high as 6Mbps. Widespread testing is scheduled by year-end and, if everything goes according to plan, WiMAX could be commercially available to the rest of us by 2006. MORE »